World Meteorological Organization Working together in weather, climate and water CAeM-XIV Technical Conference SIGMET PROVISION Sue O’Rourke www.wmo.int WMO CAeM-XIV TECO – Hong Kong, China – 5 to 6 February 2010
Dec 12, 2015
World Meteorological OrganizationWorking together in weather, climate and water
CAeM-XIV Technical Conference
SIGMET PROVISION
Sue O’Rourke
www.wmo.int
WMO
CAeM-XIV TECO – Hong Kong, China – 5 to 6 February 2010
Slide Number 2CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
SIGMET Provision – DefinitionWMO
SIGMET • Defined in ICAO Annex 3;• Information concerning the occurrence, or expected occurrence, of specified
en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of aircraft operations;
• Issued by the Meteorological Watch Office (MWO);• Phenomena include:
•Thunderstorm with/without hail (obscured, embedded, frequent, squall);•Tropical cyclone;•Turbulence (severe);•Icing (severe and severe due to freezing rain);•Mountain wave (severe);•Duststorm or sandstorm (heavy);•Volcanic ash;•Radioactive cloud.
Slide Number 3CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
SIGMET Provision – ProblemsWMO
Problems • Lack of training or required competency;• Inadequate meteorological observation and/or guidance products;• No established MWO in some States;• Inconsistencies across Flight Information Region (FIR) boundaries due
to lack of coordination between MWO;• Incorrect formatting;• Different interpretation of the SIGMET criteria between MWO;• Dissemination issues due to poor communications or incorrect
addressing.
Slide Number 4CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
SIGMET Provision – Capacity BuildingWMO
Capacity Building • SIGMET Advisory Centres (VAAC & TCAC);• Issuance of SIGMET on behalf of another State
under a bilateral arrangement;• Liaison visits;• SIGMET seminars; • Establishment of educational
material, including SIGMET posters;
• Regional SIGMET Guides;• SIGMET tests.
Slide Number 5CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
SIGMET Provision – Possible SolutionsWMO
Bi-lateral Agreement • One State issues SIGMET on behalf of another State;• Arranged in conjunction with ICAO.
SIGMET Advisory Centres• Regional or global centres to issue SIGMET Advisories (similar to
TCAC and VAAC);• States use Advisory as guidance to issue SIGMET.
SIGMET Centres • Regional or global centres to issue SIGMET.
Slide Number 6CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
SIGMET Provision – IssuesWMO
Cost Recovery • Cost recovery is an issue for many States;• Equitable options for recovery of costs for regional or global centres
needs resolving.
Data Access• Access to high resolution, local observational data such as radar,
mesoscale AWOS networks, profilers etc, particularly for issuance of low-level SIGMET.
Slide Number 7CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
Team Co-Rapporteurs:• From Australia, Hong Kong China and FranceTeam • From UK, USA, IATA, IFALPA, Japan, New Zealand, China, WMO,
South Africa and ICAO.
ICAO METWSG SIGMET Advisory Ad-hoc Group • Conduct a study to establish the viability of providing SIGMET advisory
information to be issued by designated regional centre(s);• Similar to Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) and Tropical
Cyclone Advisory Centres (TCACs).
Slide Number 8CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
Tasks A. Establish content and format of SIGMET Advisory;B. Select regional centre(s) for feasibility study;C. Propose arrangements for a trial to be conducted by one or two
regional centre(s);D. Establish training requirements.
Slide Number 9CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
SIGMET Advisory Format & Dissemination• Weather phenomena:
• Thunderstorms (OBSC, EMBD, FRQ & SQL TS & TSGR)• Turbulence (SEV TURB)• Icing (SEV ICE & SEV ICE FZRA)• Mountain wave (MTW)
• Validity period: • Up to 6 hours
• Format: • Text (similar to current Advisories) and Graphic
• Dissemination: • AFTN, Internet
• Issue frequency: • Routinely (say every 3 hours) or as required
Slide Number 10CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
SIGMET ADVISORY A1DTG: 20091105/2200ZSAC: ASIAVALID: 052200/060400FIR: VNSM/ZPKMPHENOMENON: SEV TURB OBS AT 2230ZLOCATION: WI N3000 E08500 – N2700
E08800 – N2700 E08500LEVEL: FL280/340MOVEMENT: MOV NW 40KTINTENSITY: WKNRMK: NILNXT ADVISORY: 20091106/0100Z
Slide Number 11CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
Host State(s) for SIGMET Advisory Trial• Geographical area:
• ICAO AFI and/or ASIA/PAC• Data sources:
• Satellite imagery• Surface and upper air observations• NWP & WAFC products
• Forecasting tools: • Real-time visualisation of data• Production of both textual and graphical SIGMET• Means of product dissemination
• Cost recovery options: ??• Host State(s): ??
Slide Number 12CAeM XIV TECO – SIGMET Provision
ICAO - SIGMET Advisory Ad Hoc GroupWMO
Training Requirements• Host State(s) & MWOs
• WMO Meteorologist, Guidelines from WMO Doc 258 and Supplement 1• Practical experience and proven competence in issuance of SIGMET in accordance
with Annex 3 requirements• Regional ICAO SIGMET Guides• WMO ETP No. 20 – Aviation Hazards• COMET and WMO AeMP Training website• Host State(s) will also require a knowledge of meteorology outside their own FIR
• Users